"Oh, no. No one ever brings someone home unless they know they're the one."

"The one?" I asked, choking on the wine.

"Yeah. I never brought a man to Sunday dinner. Technically, I didn't bring James either. He just showed up. His a.s.s is like a fly I can't get rid of. He made himself at home." She sighed before bursting into laughter. "I think they like him sometimes more than they like me."

I laughed too and then thought about being the one.

"If Tommy brought you home and wants to introduce you to everyone, then you're it for him."

"I don't know. I'm trying not to get ahead of myself here, Izzy." I took a deep breath, blowing it out on shaky lungs.

"Just let it sink in. I can see by the look in his eyes how much he loves you. I don't think I've ever seen my brother look at a woman the way he looks at you."

A small smile spread across my face, my cheeks heating as she stared at me. "Maybe," I muttered, downing the last drop of the wine and wishing there were another bottle sitting on the coffee table.

"I'll get another," she said like she was a mind reader, patting my knee and standing.

"Great," I replied, watching her walk from the room. I slumped into the couch. "Holy f.u.c.k," I whispered, letting the knowledge that I was possibly the one for Thomas sink in.

Saying that you love someone and planning out a lifetime are two entirely different things. I knew he was fabulous. I'd be crazy if I didn't want to be his wife. Why would this amazing man, who was filled with love, s.e.xy as h.e.l.l, and doing well for himself, want a girl like me? I wasn't anything special. I wasn't a runway model, I didn't have money in the bank, and I sure as f.u.c.k didn't have an education. I didn't see much upside to me.

What the h.e.l.l did he see?

Chapter 15.

"I don't know, James." I looked up, seeing Izzy coming into the room. "Hey. How's it going out there?"

"Fantastic. Just needed another bottle of wine."

"Don't get drunk before dinner." I sounded a bit like my pop, but I didn't want to have them pa.s.s out on us before we ate. Wine was the worst s.h.i.t to get drunk on-the hangover was nasty.

"Okay, Dad. You boys worry about you, and Angel and I will talk about you and drink. Shush it." She grabbed the spare bottle of wine on the counter and the corkscrew and stuck her tongue out before disappearing.

"I don't know how you put up with her sometimes. You must have the patience of a saint." I laughed, knowing exactly how mouthy and outspoken my sister could be.

"I have my ways, Thomas. Don't ever doubt that."

"f.u.c.k. I don't want to know."

"Back to business. I put in a few calls, and I think it's our best option. Neither of us wants to go back into law enforcement. We're both unemployed and have more skills than half of the local sheriff's department. I think it's a killer idea."

"So, we're going to be private investigators?"

"We can be our own bosses. Hire some employees to handle the s.h.i.t like computer work and phones. I think it's the best f.u.c.king idea. You have a better one?" James asked, pushing the half-empty gla.s.s of wine away.

I thought about it for a moment. I'd spent the last couple of days wondering what I'd do now that I didn't have to go back to work for the DEA. Working at Inked, the family tattoo shop, didn't hold an interest for me. I wasn't artistic and found it to be too boring. And I didn't want to sit around inside all day.

"I don't have a better one. So, we're going to be partners?" I asked, leaning back in my chair and running my hand through my hair.

"Yeah. We have to get an office and business cards and come up with a great name. There's not much compet.i.tion in the area. The ones I've found are jokes with no real training. We can even reach out to local law enforcement and see if they'd let us follow up on some cold cases. Think about it, man. There's no one more qualified than we are around here for this kind of work."

"I'll talk to my lawyer this week and see what we need to do to first. I want this s.h.i.t on the up-and-up."

"Partners?" he asked, holding out his hand.

Sliding my palm in his, I replied, "Partners," before shaking his hand and sealing the deal.

"Let's get together next week after you talk with your lawyer and iron out all the details."

Although I knew it could be c.u.mbersome to start a new business-I'd been a part of Inked when it had begun-I knew it wasn't too difficult. Especially an operation with few employees and very few supplies. We could have it off the ground in a matter of weeks.

We sat for about fifteen minutes, bulls.h.i.tting and talking about the DEA. Everything seemed to be going smoothly with the criminal cases for the members of the Sun Devils who had been arrested. For once, it was working out as planned.

"Let's go tell the girls the good news and celebrate," James said, pushing back from the table.

I nodded before following him into living room. The ladies were sitting on the couch, chatting and laughing, and it was the happiest I'd seen Angel.

"It's time to celebrate, ladies!" James exclaimed, slapping me on the back after I'd come to a stop next to him.

f.u.c.ker really wanted to be punched. He knew I hated that s.h.i.t, and that was the main reason he did it.

Glaring at him, I spoke though gritted teeth. "Ready to eat?"

"What are we celebrating, Jimmy?" Izzy slurred, her smile sloppy and uneven.

They'd had almost an entire bottle of wine on empty stomachs. They were tipsy, giggling like high school girls, and Angel was s.e.xy as f.u.c.k.

James's smile changed when she called him Jimmy. I knew he hated that name. A few people at the agency had tried using it on him a couple of times. James's fist had abruptly met their faces before they'd started calling him by his full legal name. Most changed to Caldo, preferring his last name to avoid any physical harm. Izzy, on the other hand, liked yanking someone's chain.

"Izzy, you'll pay for that later, but for now, we're going to celebrate the future. Your brother and I are going into business together."

"Oh G.o.d," she whined with gla.s.sy eyes as she threw herself backward into the couch cushions. "My brother and my boyfriend-together forever."

"Sounds like a greeting card," Angel said, bursting into laughter before Izzy followed suit.

"Maybe I should get them that little heart charm that's split in two and they can each wear one half." Izzy slapped her knees, chuckling as tears began to stream down her face.

"All right, ladies. Let's get some food into you both."

"Drinks too," Izzy told James as she wiped her face and stood.

James stroked her cheek, staring into her eyes with a grin. "Anything you want, Izzy. I'll get what I want later."

"Dude," I said, pointing my finger at him. "Don't say that s.h.i.t about my sister. Especially in front of me."

"Habit."

"Get f.u.c.king new ones," I demanded, holding out my hand to help Angel stand.

A few times this week, I'd called her Roxy. Then I'd been quickly reminded not to use the name. Each time, I'd spend ten minutes chanting the name "Angel" over and over again inside my head to help make it flow naturally.

"Since she's your sister, I'll try my best."

"Ooh, baby, I love when you try your best," Izzy declared, jumping on James and wrapping her legs around his body.

"f.u.c.k," I grumbled. This type of s.h.i.t was going to happen all the time. I needed to just get used to it and ignore them or Izzy would try to push my b.u.t.tons every time we were together.

She kissed his face, holding his cheeks in her hands as James held her by her a.s.s. "I love you, Jimmy," she blurted before kissing him on the lips.

James pulled his lips away and smiled. "That's the only time I'll let you call me that."

"Ready to go, Ro-" I stopped dead as my eyes grew wide. f.u.c.k. I knew I'd do it sometime. Watching them in my living room had me a little off-kilter. "Angel." I hated the slip-up and prayed she wasn't p.i.s.sed.

"Yeah," she said with a small smile, stroking my arm. "It's okay, baby," she whispered.

"Can you two disengage long enough to leave the house and get to the restaurant?" I asked, looking over at them as they kissed.

"Uh huh," James mumbled, his lips pressed against Izzy's. "Come on, Iz. We have to go eat."

"No," she breathed. "I love how you kiss."

"Iz, babe, let's go. We can finish this in the car on the way to the restaurant." He winked at her and she instantly jumped down, marching straight for the door.

"We're taking two motherf.u.c.kin' cars," I insisted as I wrapped my arm around my girl and followed James and Izzy into the foyer.

As I grabbed my keys off the side table, they walked outside and waited until I'd turned off the lights and locked up the house. As we climbed in our cars, I thought that this might be one of the longest nights of my life.

"What's wrong, Thomas?" Angel asked as I closed the door and started the car.

"I'm so stressed tonight. I don't know what the f.u.c.k is wrong with me." I gripped the steering wheel, feeling the leather slide underneath my palm.

"You need to relax," she said, touching my bicep and giving it a quick squeeze. "Does it bother you that much that they're a couple?"

I had to answer honestly. "Not really. I mean, it's my sister, and I don't need the s.h.i.t thrown in my face. He's my best friend, and I trust him with my life, so why not with my sister's?"

"Habits die hard, baby. I'll tell you this. She loves him."

"She made that clear," I said, the mental image of her body attached to him in my living room still burned into my vision.

"Not just love. She's crazy about that man. Right before you two came in the room, she was gushing about him."

"Gushing?" I asked, looking over at Angel. "Izzy has never been a gusher."

"Head over heels in love with that man. I think they're a cute couple." She smiled, her small fingers stroking the inside of my arm.

"Yeah," I mumbled, looking over at her. Her words were true. I couldn't think of two people who deserved each other more than James and Izzy. They could spend a lifetime busting each other's b.a.l.l.s.

"If you trust him with your life, why don't you trust him with your sister's?"

I sighed. She was right. "I do." It wasn't a lie.

"It's settled, then," she said, releasing my arm. "Now cheer the f.u.c.k up. I really like your sister, by the way."

"Either you love her or you hate her. She's one of those people." I tried to keep my eyes off the rearview mirror. When I did glance back, I saw Izzy pawing at James, and they were both smiling.

"Well, I love her."

"Ready to meet the family yet?" I asked, hoping and praying she'd say yes.

Ma would be relentless if I didn't bring her with me. Everyone was expecting her, especially my parents. They weren't easy to disappoint without feeling an overwhelming sense of Italian Catholic guilt.

"Yeah," she squeaked, catching me by surprise.

"Yes?" I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders with her agreement.

"I'll go." She pulled the visor down and checked her makeup in the mirror.

"You've made me the happiest man in the world," I declared.

"That would be James right now, but don't look," she warned, pointing at something in her mirror.

"f.u.c.k," I muttered. Maybe going into business with James wasn't the best idea after all.

Chapter 16.

I groaned as I rolled over. My eyes didn't just sting from lack of sleep-they ached as I tried to open them. How much had I f.u.c.king had to drink? My head felt like my brain was trying to push its way through my skull. My stomach churned from a simple movement. I needed to make a mental note: Do not try and out-drink Izzy Gallo again. The girl was little, but f.u.c.k. She was like a G.o.dd.a.m.n bottomless pit. I had never been a heavy drinker, never developed a tolerance for it, but h.e.l.l. I'd try to keep up with the best of them, and she was a f.u.c.king champion.

"Baby," I mumbled, throwing my arm over my eyes to block out the light.

"You okay, Angel?" he asked in a smooth, sultry morning voice.

From what I remembered, he and James had talked business and watched as Izzy and I'd gotten s.h.i.tfaced. They were so excited about the new venture, and Izzy and I were in a fit of giggles. The more we drank, the funnier s.h.i.t got. They were trying to come up with names for their private investigator business, and Izzy and I came up with every funny name we could think of and almost got us kicked out of the restaurant in the process. We came up with Tricky d.i.c.ks, Private d.i.c.ks, Pick a d.i.c.k, and Quickie d.i.c.ks. If it had the word "d.i.c.k" and rhymed, we said it. We thought we were hilarious, but the guys? Not so much.

"My head is about to explode," I complained, speaking slowly and quietly.

"I figured you'd feel like s.h.i.t today."